Capless fuel tanks... is the idea as dumb as it seems?

[Jstpssng]

My last truck had a light which came on telling me to tighten the gas cap. It only came on once or twice in all of the time I had the truck.

A recurring problem on GMs is the fuel tank vent filter; these get plugged up with dust so that when you fill it the pump keeps kicking off.. It can take 20 minutes of carefully feathering the fuel nozzle to get the tank filled. Most of our trucks have these changed at least once but often twice over the three year lifespan of the truck.

 

[Ford850]

I know my wife's 08 Burb will throw a check engine light if the fuel cap isn't tight so the capless filler could have something to do with that. One thing for sure, glad gas is cheap or thieves would be siphoning it out of cars with no filler caps. I put a locking cap on my Ford capless because I was worried some prankster might sugar my tank where I park at. Had the potato trick pulled on me years ago. Not nice.

You can't siphon from capless tanks. Something blocks the hose deep inside the filler neck I guess. But most thieves drill a hole in the bottom of the plastic tanks these days, so the cap/no-cap doesn't matter. Even adding sugar would be difficult with the double flappers, locked without the right sized funnel. Most idiots don't want to work that hard to prank you.

 

[Copperhead]

And there is the rub. Several years ago, there was a big move to install secure caps on semi truck fuel tanks. I can understand, as diesel was flirting with $5 a gallon. But when it was found out that those who wanted the fuel would just drill into the tank itself and still take the fuel, the secure cap thing died off. Better to let them steal it thru the cap than having to buy and install a new fuel tank.

 

[Industrial Toys]

That's such a perfect example of selling the "illusion" of security.

 

[buck12]

We have three current Ford vehicles with the capless fuel tank and no problems to date. My 09 F150 gets some use in dusty conditions and i haven’t had any issues. The only problem I have with the capless system is that when I try to fill my 93 truck I usually try stick the nozzle but forget to remove the cap.

 

[Jstpssng]

We have three current Ford vehicles with the capless fuel tank and no problems to date. My 09 F150 gets some use in dusty conditions and i haven’t had any issues. The only problem I have with the capless system is that when I try to fill my 93 truck I usually try stick the nozzle but forget to remove the cap.

I'm the exact opposite. I just took the truck over 4 weeks ago and still am briefly surprised every time that I reach for the nonexistent fuel cap.

 

[swines]

I've had three Ford vehicles with capless fuel filler. The fuel filler door has a gasket around it to keep out dust. i live in New Mexico. We have days in the spring where the dirt in Arizona attempts to relocate to Texas and you can't see more than about 50 yards because of the dust. I have NEVER had a problem with dust and the capless filler system - and this includes the 40 - 50 MPH wind driven dust we get here in NM. I have driven my 4wd F150 on numerous dirt roads with lots of dust and never had any problems. Now, I do take about five minutes 3-4x a year to spritz the interior of the filler compartment with an auto detail spray and wipe out the compartment just because I like to keep things clean, but I've NEVER had dust on the filler lid.

For the Ford owners, you can buy a locking cap from Ford parts for the capless filler system. Locking Fuel Plug Part No: 8U5Z-9C268-B.

I have had zero problems, my wife has had zero problems, but, then again we are extraordinary human beings who are not susceptible to the problems mere mortals have...OR the system actually works just fine - your choice.

 

[tjkubota93]

Because the extra 10 seconds it takes to remove the cap is too long to wait?

Probably more like limp wristed sheeple not tightening the cap 3 clicks, then bah- ing about check engine light. Probably trying to make it idiot proof.

Edit- the EPA hosers probably want to remove the possibility of some limp-wrister unknowingly releasing evil hydrocarbons into the atmosphere as well.

 

[ArlyA]

We have a 2019 ranger and have likes its cap system so far.

We have three current Ford vehicles with the capless fuel tank and no problems to date. My 09 F150 gets some use in dusty conditions and i haven’t had any issues. The only problem I have with the capless system is that when I try to fill my 93 truck I usually try stick the nozzle but forget to remove the cap.

 

[Ford850]

It seems like most complaints about the capless system come from those who haven’t used it.